


Provenance

by Umikidaughter



Category: Natsume Yuujinchou | Natsume's Book of Friends
Genre: Gen, Madara worrying but being stubborn about it, Natsume is oblivious to too many things
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-08-21
Updated: 2013-08-21
Packaged: 2017-12-24 05:05:49
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 697
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/935726
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Umikidaughter/pseuds/Umikidaughter
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Madara will never admit to anyone how relieved he was when he realized that Natsume was a near spitting image of his human grandmother.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Provenance

**Author's Note:**

> AN: since the series has a lot of holes in it about many subjects and this idea came to me after reading “Losing and Gaining” by Aellepi I decided to add my own two cents to it. I do not claim any ownership over Natsume Yuujinchou!

He watched as the stupid boy collapsed, another name returned.

He berated and whined at the boy for thinning the book even further. He was soundly ignored. Impudent boy.

His charade was halted when the boy began petting the perfect spot between the ears and slightly behind the head. By the Sake Kami that boy knew how to scratch!

“Sorry Nyanko-sensei, but I am not going to stop anytime soon.” Again with that infuriating nickname. He should really teach that cub to respect-no no damnit! The human is _boy_ not **cub**!

He waved the hand away half-heartedly. “Fool, I am the Great Madara! You should listen to me and hand over the Book of Friends!” the BOY laughed easily at his weak attempts and returned to his studies as if nothing had happened. The yokai humped and jolted his head away in disdain.

A few moments of silence broken only by the sound of pencil scrapping over paper and the bakeneko allowed himself to relax. Turning his head slowly Madara watched as the boy continue playing his role as a normal human with no small amount of condescension and a dash, a _very small_ dash, of accord.

Thus far Natsume had somehow managed to remain on that thin line between humans and yokai while still returning names from the yuujinchou and hiding its existence from the various exorcist clans he had come into contact with over the years. It was humbling in a way how steadfast Natsume had been where others would have caved long ago.

Still, with the recent interest of those exorcists, _especially that Matoba bastard_ , Natsume would need to decide very soon because time was running out. Everytime Natsume encountered the exorcists the higher the chances of them discovering the Yuujinchou.

Madara was also sure that at least a few kami were keeping an eye on him, if not one of the _Shichi Fukujin_ themselves, because in **no way** did one single human have that much luck! The _bakeneko_ swore that he had lost a few decades with so many close calls as it was!

What made this situation even worse, so much _worse_ , was that very soon yokai and exorcist alike would notice the _flavor_ of the boy’s soul was changing to reflect the secret that Madara had wished would never come to light.

A flash of memory overlaid the boy, replacing him with a form that even fifty years gone was his near identical twin.

Ceramic eyes closed and he turned his back to the boy in disgust.

He should have known better. He had seen it the moment he first laid eyes on his unintentional rescuer. He had simply refused to acknowledge it and now his negligence was coming back to haunt him. 

Madara had not jested when he told Natsume he resembled his grandmother fiercely, in fact he had been nothing short of relieved when he told the boy. It meant that to any who encountered him he would appear as nothing more than a highly spiritually gifted human.

The _bakeneko_ snorted. What most humans had forgotten and nearly all spirits chose to ignore was that humans were never a spiritually gifted race to begin with. Later generations, and even than only a rare few, had obtained this ability the same way all traits were passed down through blood.

By breeding with beings that had such traits.

Madara gazed at the oblivious human studying without much care with narrowed eyes. Specifically, he zeroed on the few strands of white peeking through his amber locks.

At this rate Natsume’s hair would fade completely to white by the age of twenty-five, if he was lucky. If he was even luckier, his honey-brown eyes would not fade as well to a greenish-amber by that same age. It was a small hope though.

Reiko’s amber eyes alone had shown her ancient heritage through elongated pupils. With the boy’s much thicker blood it was inevitable that he would soon reflect his other nature as well.

Madara did not want that. He had already taken responsibility for his unintended weakness and did not need anyone asking _certain questions_ about Reiko or himself.

Not even _Reiko’s Grandson_.

**Author's Note:**

> Like I said, A LOT of loopholes to exploit exists within this series, so much so that when your brain tries to fill in the gaps it cracks under the pressure.  
> Such as: Did anyone notice that while the anime Natsume resembles Reiko, the manga version has the coloration of another important character in the series? And the relationship between said characters was never fully explained and how said relationship would affect Natsume?  
> You should know whom I'm talking about by now...
> 
> Anyway it gives us authors free reign to add our own input though, so it works out in the end.
> 
> And if your wondering about the Shichi Fukujin their seven gods of luck in Buddhism.
> 
> Hope you like it! ^_^


End file.
